The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-03-17
LITERARY CHAT.
.Speciat correspondence Of the Gold Leaf.

Just three days before the demise vi
Brooklyn's great preacher, called at his
residence OH the corner Of Hicks and CLARK
streets, to gain information concerning his
Life of Christ" After making my bust
ness known to him, Mr.. Beecher responded
to nv various questions as follows:
81 am now putting the finishing strokes
to the second volume of my Life or
Christ which expect will be published
during the summer. The first volume pub
lished years ago, is now being reprinted
from my own plates, and the manuscript
of the second volume is nearly all up HI
type or in the printers hands.
After my work on this is completed,
continued the preacher, 81 will immedi-
ately begin upon my autobiography. do
not think l shall complete 1t much before
six month, if even then, so that it will be
almost year before the few who will buy
it can obtain it. l expect that it will make
all ordinary one volume book-not large.
for with twinkle in his eye (Which
shall always be in my memory, you
know haven't much to say, and it will be
quite task to fill even a medium sized
book" That same evening he was stricken
down and that promised autobiography
will be missed in the world of letters. AS
| understand, Life of Christ will be pub
lished by MeSsrs. Charles L. Webster q
Co., who have offered large sum for the
full right of the book, besides royalty on
the number of copies sold.
Mr.. Beecher's demise makes a large va
;,,{n fa of n
| try. A vast amount of literature will
spring into life out Of his death. Messrs.
Funk & Wagnalls Us and 20 AstOr Place,
wy informed me yesterday that they
| have new edition OF " Henry Ward
| Beecher, his Life and Characteristics with
! Analyses of his Power as Preacher, Lee
turer, Orator, and Journalist" in press,
and will be ready for delivery at an early
date 1t is the gifted work of DR.. Lyman
Abbott, and this new edition will bring the
work down to the close of the great preach
er's life. The work will contain over
score Of portraits of MI Beecher represent
ing him at different ages and in different
moods; with portraits of other members OF
his family, making it a splendid memorial
volume S: B. Hallidy, the assistant pas
tor of Plymouth church, will cooperate
with DR.. Abbott in completing the work.
Among the unique volumes now in press,
probably the most unique is one called
"Beecher as Humorist." The book is
one incessant sparkle of wit and fun from
beginning to end There isn't dry para
graph from cover to cover, AMI yet they
are all dry-dry and sid e-splitting.
"Would it not be fun to see M. Beecher
smiling over his own waggery?' said
gentleman connected with the new book.
Most of it would be new to him, and if
not told that it was his own. he would
probably laugh as heartily as anybody"
But now-well, now, we arc all in tears
of sorrow, for what better moment could
have been chosen for the release of hts
great soul?
w. D. HowellS was 90 years old on Tues
day of last week. He spent the day qui-
city at his home in Boston. To a reporter
of the Boston Transcript he said: 1.-The
children did talk of getting up some cele-
bration, but they did not carry out their
plans" Referring to his duties in connec-
ton with the Editors Study in Harper
Magazine, Mr.. Howells expressed his pleas
ure at being thus engaged, as it brings the
current literature directly to his notice.
AS editor of the Atlantic he enjoyed book
reviewing though that was only one of his
many duties in the position. After giving
up this work he did not read with the same
interest that he has felt since resuming edi-
torial responsibility; then he did not give
books such close study, now he has pur-
pose in reading He is not in the habit of
skipping through book; he reads it care
fully. Speaking on this subject, he said
} he thought books deserved special atten-
ton at the hands of reviewers; the book
may not be of the highest merit, but, after
all, it is the best there is in the man; and
when one considers the amount OF hard
work that is usually put into book, it is
to be regretted that any should be sighted
With regard to this regular work, Mr.
IIowells says he does not take vacations
he writes three or four hours day, and
!, then he is not good for any more work. OF
course he reads good deal in the after
noon and evening, and this gives topics fol
, his magazine department, which is not sc
much in the way of book reviewing, as dis
cussing matters suggested by new books.
How We'll Miss Wizards New Book TO,
Girls, "How to VIM is received in Eng.
land, the following letter of a leading Lit
erary Woman of England, speaks for itself
Miss Willard's book, How to VIM is
crowded with wise counsels administered
SO brightly and lightly that the recipients
will infallibly swallow them like bon.
bons. There is in all Miss Willard writes
(pardon ME for so crudely saying IT'D a
nprve--a go, Eve have no better English
word), which constitutes the real literary
art. Everything else in style or substance
Or not at all. l am going to present the
book to Someryille HALL, where my favor
lite niece, a student, looks after the library.
1t is very great pleasure to ME to feel i'm
SO many points in accord with Miss Viii
lard. and to know that views deeply care
should be maintained, will be ably set
forth by one younger, stronger, and l be-
shovel and the hoe, as / must do soon.
There are some points also on which we
differ-but there is no need to speak of
them. There is, trust, great ground of
unity below our differences, whether of
theory or practice.
II read with amaZement and wonder of
the enormous organization of the w e. 7.
Z. in America, and of which Miss Willard
is President. With the labor of ten wears
| made a Society of about 200. The w.
Z. L. Z. numbers 150, What that
stands for iii organizing power can appre-
ciate. FRANCIS POWER CoBBE"
Miss Frances E. Willard lives a little
way out of Chicago, in pretty home called
GzSx